Tokyo National Museum Tickets (2026): Prices, Online Tickets and the No-Suitcase Rule
You don't need to book the Tokyo National Museum ahead, but buying online is worth it: the museum itself says counter waits can pass 30 minutes on busy days. Adult entry to the main collection is ¥1,000, and under-18s and over-70s go free.
Two newer rules matter more than the ticket: there is a bag check at the Main Gate, and suitcases are not allowed inside. We checked the museum's official visitor and exhibition pages on Nov 7, 2026.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Museum tickets are only linked from the museum's own pages.
Should you buy Tokyo National Museum tickets online?
Yes, if your day is tight. The visitor page warns that the Main Gate counters can take more than 30 minutes at busy times and recommends buying online. Online tickets are bought on your phone and can be used on any open day for two months after purchase, so there is no date to lock in.
- Open the official Admissions & Tickets section and pick the “Purchasing TNM Collection Exhibitions tickets” link. It takes you to Asoview, the museum's ticket seller.
- Choose the number of tickets. Only adults and university students need one. Under-18s and over-70s just show proof of age at the gate.
- Pay and keep the ticket on your phone. It's valid for two months from the purchase date, any time the museum is open.
Paying at the counter is fine too: it takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners, Discover, UnionPay, Suica, iD and WAON.
Which special exhibitions are on, and do they need booking?
Special exhibitions have their own prices and ticket pages. Neither of the current two needs a reservation, and both tickets include same-day entry to the main collection.
Hiroshige: New Perspectives on Edo Japan
Honkan, Room A, in three parts with changing works. Adults ¥1,500, university students ¥500. Free for under-18s and 70+.
Daitokuji: A Zen Temple Beyond Compare
Heiseikan. Adults ¥2,300, university ¥1,300, high school ¥900, junior high and under free. On Mon Nov 30 only this exhibition is open.
If you'd see both the collection and a special exhibition, just buy the special ticket.
Can you bring a suitcase or big bag?
No suitcases. The museum stopped allowing them from August 1, 2026, and every visitor now goes through a metal detector and bag check at the Main Gate. Allow extra time for the check.
If it's your arrival or departure day, put your case in a locker at Ueno Station or send it ahead. Coin lockers in Tokyo → · Luggage delivery →
When is it closed in late 2026?
Some rooms are also shut for maintenance: Honkan Room 4 until Apr 25, 2027, Rooms 2–3 from Dec 14, and Rooms 17–20 plus the Asian Gallery (Toyokan) from Nov 30 to Dec 31, 2026.
Is it worth it, and how long do you need?
If you want one museum of Japanese art and history in Tokyo, this is the national collection. Start with the Honkan (Japanese Gallery), and add the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures if you like Buddhist art. Some Honkan rooms and the Asian Gallery are closed in late 2026 (see above).
Families do well here too: children are free, so a family of four with two kids pays ¥2,000 in total.
Getting there
Make a day of it in Ueno
Ueno Zoo
¥600 for adults, no booking. The pandas left in January 2026, so go for the zoo, not the pandas.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
Real old Tokyo houses and shops, moved to a park. A good second museum day.
Tokyo Subway Ticket
Unlimited Tokyo Metro and Toei rides for 24–72 hours.
Affiliate linkBefore you go
Check the special exhibition dates on the museum's site the week you travel, since they change every few months. We'll update this page when new ones are announced.